How to Set Up a Hot Chocolate Bar
Published Dec 08, 2022โขUpdated Oct 08, 2024
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Set up a Hot Chocolate Bar for your next cold weather gathering. Provide stir-in ingredients, toppings, and even alcohol if you’d like so that everyone can customize their own drink.
Slow Cooker Hot Chocolate is great on its own, but even more fun with toppings! To set up a hot chocolate bar, gather up your favorite toppings and set them out next to the slow cooker with some mugs and spoons.
Here are a few tips for creating a very easy, very festive hot chocolate bar!
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Pin It NowIngredients to Include in a Hot Chocolate Bar
The sky is the limit, but when you’re setting up a hot chocolate bar, try a few of these additions:
Stir-In Ingredients
- Caramel Sauce
- Chocolate Sauce
- Butterscotch Chips
- Nutella
- Speculoos / Cookie Butter
- Peanut Butter
Garnishes
- Mini Candy Canes
- Mini Chocolate Chips
- Marshmallows
- Fresh Whipped Cream
- Piroulines or other Wafer Cookies
- Crushed Oreos
- Chopped Heath
- Chopped Andes Mints
Alcohol for Cocktails
- Mezcal
- Bourbon
- Bailey’s
Create Layers for Ingredients
There’s no need to go out and buy any decorations or supplies to create a festive, fun hot chocolate bar. You probably have everything you need. Creating layers makes it easy for everyone to see all of the options. To create a higher tier for ingredients, try using:
- Cake stands
- A shoebox wrapped in festive wrapping paper
- Loaf pans
- Clean flower pots
Variations on Classic Hot Chocolate
Want to provide some inspiration? Write some ideas on cards and prop them up around the ingredients. A few ideas will help guests to come up with their own variations!
Mint Chocolate
- Stir in Andes Mints
- Top with:
- Whipped Cream
- Candy Cane
- Add a shot of Bailey’s (for a cocktail)
Mexican Hot Chocolate
- Stir in a pinch of Cayenne
- Top with:
- Whipped Cream
- Grated Bittersweet Chocolate
- Cinnamon Stick
- Add a shot of Mezcal (for a cocktail)
Salted Caramel
- Stir in Caramel Sauce and pinch of salt
- Top with:
- Marshmallows
- Drizzle of Caramel Sauce
- Add a shot of Bourbon (for a cocktail)
This was a hit at our Christmas dinner! I added it to a mini cheesecake buffet (assorted bite-sized cheesecake with various toppings just like the hot chocolate). Perfect end to the night!
Mini cheesecake buffet = you are amazing! Ellen told me you were hosting a big dinner for Christmas! I’m so glad this was a hit!